15 Differences Between the New and Old “Mystery Science Theater 3000”

Photo credit Netflix

We have a new Joel/Mike

I think this was a point of contention for a lot of people at first. How can you have Mystery Science Theater 3000 without Joel or Mike? There are many a heated argument around which host is better, and these arguments can destroy friendships.

But it’s not Joel or Mike hosting. That was one stipulation of Joel’s when he launched the Kickstarter: that it be fresh blood and not just a reunion show. Because MST3K is something that can be tweaked and adjusted for future generations and morph to still be relevant and irreverent.

Welcome to the club Jonah Heston, played by Jonah Ray. He fits the mold for the host of MST3K: a little on the nerdy side, some awkward humor, and good at bantering with robots. In the first episode, you can see his nervousness in the Host segments, but who wouldn’t be? Every interview I read spoke to how much he wanted to be the host of MST3K since he was a kid.

It’s a dream come true, standing between Crow and Servo. But after that first episode, everything flows. Jonah fits right in front of that door, as if it was meant to be. He holds his own in the Invention Exchanges. He’s a good choice, and it works well for the show.